A/n: What happens when you combine final exams, three-day field trips, lavish end-of-the-year dances, award ceremonies, and an endless string of School's Out parties?

Sirius: *pointing to t-shirt* This nice gift you got me from your field trip?

Whisp: Close but no cigar.

Sirius: *banging head* I know! A really, really . . .

Whisp: Long wait for the chapter?

Sirius: No! A really, really bad sunburn!

Whisp: Oi! True I did get a bad sun burn but that's beside the point. My school has an odd little rule that no matter how high your GPA is you still have to take finals. Whoever invented that rule will be getting a strongly worded letter from me shortly. As soon as finals were over we had to prepare for our lavish End-of-School dance. There was only one problem, the night of the dance we had a blackout and spent at least an in total darkness. But we got the power back and had a good time nonetheless.

Our three-day trip to Washington/Bush Gardens/Williamsburg was the following Monday-Wednesday. We had Thursday off, and Friday was our last day ending with an awards ceremony at night. Yours truly made off with two awards (both for being the top student in Lit) and a nice $500 savings bond for some writing contest that I won. Odd, since I NEVER win anything.

Immediately after the ceremony, let the parties begin! Over the course of the weekend I went to four parties, two of which became sleepovers in which no one slept. And I have another round of them this weekend.

And _that_ Virginia is why this chapter took so long! (Not that I know anyone named Virginia ;)

Thank you: FawkesnFlame (He's just dreaming . . . or is he?), carolann b. (Thank you very much! I'm truly honored! *bows*), lollipozz, Relle (Hehe, I completely sympathize. Harry is going to be seeing more things soon then you can shake a stick at), Time Twins, Roxane (I know, but it works itself nicely into the plot), sweets (Ah, you clever girl you! You picked up on some of the plot vital hints. Clever, clever, clever), Lavander Ice (Cryptic, yeah that describes it! (, Sandrine Black (Thanks!), Aniron Sauron Greenleaf-Took, Hound of Death (Time travel isn't on Harry's flight plans for this fic, yet), Amy, Eva Phoenix Potter, Gia, and summersun!

As always deepest thanks to my amazing betas: Essence of Magic, sweets, and Immia. I don't know what I would do without them. (Actually I do, I'd still be on chapter 5 of this fic ( You girls are the greatest! Go on everybody read their work! Right now! This instance! Go on, all of you!

Sequel to Harry Potter and the Emerald Eye. (I suggest you read that first, but you don't have to, it's just a good idea.) Harry's in for quite a year when he starts seeing things that no one else can, is it a dream? Or is he really going crazy? Questions start arising like what did Voldemort do to his victim after he killed them? This has it all; mystery, insanity, a lot of Sirius and Remus, and everyone calls Harry a lunatic at least once! ;)

Disclaimer - This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. I own the plot and a few original things. Elven itself all belongs to the master himself J. R. R. Tolkien. And of course references to "The Godfather" all belong to Mario Puzo since he wrote the book, and probably Francis Ford Coppola since he directed the movie.



Chapter 11: A Knife in the Dark

Tap! Pat! Tat!

Harry strained his ears to discern the sound from his sleep clouded mind.

Tap! Pat! Tat!

Footsteps.

This thought made its way slowly across Harry's brain waves. It sounded almost like somebody very nearby . . . almost on top of him.

Tap! Pat! Tat!

Then he realized it, the person who was walking was him.

Harry forced his eyes open; dark, blurry shapes surrounded him. He blinked several times, but the shapes did not clear. He touched his pocket, slightly astonished to find himself in his pajamas; he felt the familiar lump that was his glasses. He took them out and shoved them on. Shadows loomed in front of him, shadows that only came out when it was the dead of night.

But never once did he wonder why he was walking, or why he could not stop. He was truly following his feet.

His feet led him farther and farther into the castle. The shadows lengthened. The few torches that were lit were burning low.

His bare feet slapped the freezing stones as he turned on last corner before finding himself face to face with . . . a demon!

He leapt back, hands covering his face and throat, waiting for the pain.

But it never came.

Harry slowly opened his eyes (which he had closed), and brought his hands down, and laughed. What he thought had been a sharp toothed demon was actually a wall carving.

Harry gazed upon the elegantly carved wall with a keen interest as his rapidly beating heart slowed down. The mahogany paneling featured a scene of angels ascending to heaven. The cherubic sculptures that issued from the wall smiled at him, their delicately carved wings spread to the heavens, the dainty fingers reached out as if beckoning the passersby to join them in their heavenly flight.

Harry reached out to touch the glistening wood. He brushed up against the wood, it was so warm. He laid his hand up against the wooden one, to his amazement his hand fit perfectly against his.

He looked up at the cherub's angelic face, it's large eyes, smiling chubby cheeks, carved curly hair that was done in such rich detail that if he did not know better he would have thought that someone had frozen a baby and paneled it with wood.

As he admired the cherub's eyes, they looked so realistic, even the lashes were perfect. Then it blinked.

Harry drew his face abruptly away, his own eyes as wide as the cherub's. It blinked again.

The cherub's angelic face became twisted; the darling mouth curled into an ugly sneer, babyish eyes turned into slits, the curls became horns. Its slender fingers clamped around Harry's hand, and its feathery wings became like spikes ready to trap Harry. It screeched in a resounding voice:

"An eye for an eye,

A tooth for a tooth,

A heart for a heart,

A life for a life,

A soul for a soul."

Harry, eyes wide and terrified, kicked out at the cherub. He pulled back with all his might, yanking his hand free. He fell backward. He felt a rush of pain as his head cracked on the hard stone before the world went black.





Somewhere in the far recesses of Harry's mind there was a sharp, incessant call. He felt a strong instinct to turn toward the voice. Wanting his eye to open to show this person that he was indeed alive, and heard him.

But . . . oh! How his head hurt! It was pounding like a beating drum. At that moment the voice's owner tapped him sharply at his temple.

"Harry!"

Then it hit him—so to speak. He had been walking, and the cherub . . . the cherub! It had changed . . . it had become . . . a demon?

Struggling, Harry forced his eyes open and shut them again immediately, yelping.

"Sorry about that Harry, one sec," the voice said quickly. Harry heard the switch click, and the bright amber light that has startled him die down a bit. "Better?"

Harry started to nod, but stopped almost instantly. He now knew how it felt to be thumped by the Wholloping Willow.

"'Irius," he muttered, his voice horribly slurred.

"Right here," Sirius said as Harry struggled to sit up. "Easy," he instructed, supporting the boy's back with one hand.

"What happened?" asked Harry.

"That's what I'd like to know," Sirius said, his eyes boring into Harry's. "As far as I can tell you went for a midnight stroll, and nearly cracked your head open."

"I must have been sleepwalking."

Sirius looked at him incredulously.

"Honestly, Sir. I must of slipped."

His godfather nodded. "You could enrage a bull with the back of your head," he said without mirth.

Harry quirked the corner of his mouth a bit. "How'd you find me?"

"This marvelous, wholly amazing, all-inspiring, all together godlike invention helped me." Sirius held up the Marauders' Map. "Gave me a good scare when I went to check on you, and found your bed empty."

"Sorry, blame my sub-conscious. It's nutters, not me."

Sirius tried not to smile, but failed. "All right, all right," he said, shaking his head. "Do you think you can stand?"

"I guess." Harry clambered slowly to his feet, blinking furiously to clear his spiraling vision.

Thankfully, Sirius allowed him to lean against him as they walked. Sirius did not press the issue of his godson's sleepwalking until the reached Harry's dorm room.

"No wonder they say sleepwalking is dangerous," he said as wiped the blood from the back of Harry's head and hair.

"It still hurts though," Harry muttered dully, resting his chin on his fist.

"No deep wound though, grazed it really. As far as I can tell you'll be fine, aside from a beauty of a headache in the morning."

"Oh joy," Harry said, leaning back on his pillows as Sirius went to rinse out the cloth he had been using.

Sirius laughed coming back into the room, shaking a few droplets of water from his hands. "Then no more sleepwalking tonight," he said, a parental note in his voice.

"Yes sir." Harry slid down under the covers, his eyelids suddenly very heavy.

Sirius reached out, and ruffled his hair fondly. He stopped for a moment as if he was debating whether to do something else, but shook his head and ruffled Harry's hair once again.

Harry leaned into the touch.

"'Night kid," Sirius said, blowing out the candle, and leaving the room.

Harry turned over, and closed his eyes. He did not see Sirius enter the room again, and stay there, watching him all night for fear that he might leave again. Or worse yet for someone to come into the room . . . Sirius shuddered at the thought.

Harry only drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.

~*~

The rest of the Christmas holiday passed uneventfully, except for some routine—for Sirius—Mot dodging. But still the memory, fuzzy though it was, lingered in Harry's mind. Had he really seen what he thought he saw? Or he had just fallen victim to a bout of sleep-walking?

Before he could decide on either the silent halls of Hogwarts became noisy once again. And the only thing on the professors' minds were the O. W. L. s.

The O. W. L. s were, as Gudgeon had so articulately explained to them, the defining mark in whether you had learned anything in your five years at Hogwarts. Depending on how well you perform on the exams as decided whether or not you qualified for advanced classes, or extra help in others.

By the sound of it Harry reckoned that next year he wouldn't be seeing Hermione in any regular classes, and he'd be seeing a whole lot more of Snape.

Either way Gudgeon still gave them a boat load of homework that included a six foot essay on Tuatha, Merlin's grandfather who during a great fiery battle had cursed the dragon Valdearg into an enchanted sleep which was to last until the end of time but did not.

"Reasons why Valdearg awoke, and for the fun of it try figuring out which sleeping curse Tuatha used. And no, Sleeping Beauty won't help you."

"They're playing at it as if we were going to graduate tomorrow," Ron grumbled as they shuffled out of Defense en route to Transfiguration.

"Well, we are in a way," Hermione said, wiping some jelly like substance off of her wand. "I mean we will only have two more years here, and they want us to be prepared. Back in the late 70s hardly any witch or wizard went onto college, they all stayed to fight the war against you-Know- Who relying only on their Hogwarts education."

Harry looked at Hermione pointedly.

"Don't look at me like that Harry; I had no intention of going into _that_. I'm merely stating a fact."

"Yeah, the fact that you spend way to much time in the library Hermione," Ron said with a smirk.

Hermione huffed loudly, "This coming from the boy who is afraid of spiders."

"I have a reason to keep out of that section then," Ron shot back.

Harry held back a moan.

Thankfully their banter only lasted a few minutes longer before they arrived at the Transfiguration classroom. Upon entering they were slightly surprised to find that McGonagall had cleared off her desk, and seemed to only have her wand (which usually doubled as a pointer) and a long piece of chalk with her.

Ron stifled a groan. They were going to take down long, explicated notes.

Harry slid into his seat and took out his notebook and quill, sighing. "More notes, what fun."

"My heart is racing with the anticipation," Ron said, clutching his heart comically.

Hermione sniggered along with Harry even though they knew she enjoyed taking notes.

"And now that Mr. Weasley has gotten his round of chuckles," McGonagall said sharply from the front of the classroom. "Would you kindly direct your attention to the front of the room, and we will get on with our Animagi review."

Whispers flew threw the classroom. This explained the empty desk, she was planning to transform. But then how was she going to conduct a review while she was a cat? Dean chose to verbalize these thoughts.

McGonagall raised an eyebrow, "Apparently rumors don't fly around this school as much as I thought they did. I surely thought you'd know that—"

CRASH!

A muffled swear and the croaking voice of a suit of armor soon followed. McGonagall sighed, shaking her head as a moment later the person who had crashed in the suit of armor skidded into the room.

"Some things never change do they Professor Black?"

Sirius grinned sheepishly, rubbing his head. He wasn't wearing the customary work robes that all the professors wore. Instead he wore the black t-shirt and jeans that Harry usually only saw him in. "Well, you see there was this nuclear explosion and then there was this spaceship and then . . ."

"I don't want to know," sighed McGonagall before turning back to the class. Most of which were leaning over their desks curiously. "Professor Black has graciously offered to be our guinea pig for our review."

"He's an Animagi?" several people asked in unison before rounding on Harry.

"Is he Harry?"

"What does he turn into?"

"Have you seen him transform?"

"Is that how he got out of Azkaban?"

"Before you attack Mr. Potter!" McGonagall said quickly as Harry sunk down in his seat. She waited for the students to settle down in their own seats again before speaking again. "As I was saying before you attack Mr. Potter with your questions I suggest you allow Professor Black to transform." She gestured for Sirius to transform.

Sirius firmly took one step backwards. Then another and another until he was out the door.

"Maybe he's having second thoughts," Ron suggested standing up to see where Sirius had gone.

"No," Harry said doubtfully.

"Maybe he wants to make a show of it?" Hermione whispered.

And make a show of it he did. Sirius sprinted forward, jumping but two hands did not hit the desktop. But two paws did.

Standing atop Professor McGonagall's desk like he was being shown at Crufts was a large, shaggy dog with a glistening black coat.

"Padfoot," Harry breathed.

Every single student leaned forward to get a better look at the dog, ooh-ing and aww-ing. Sirius was eating it all up, wagging his feathery tail, pulling his lips back to smile, even barking playfully.

"Yes, yes, good show Professor Black," McGonagall said, clapping her hands lightly. "Now that we have all inflated your ego a little more . . ."

Padfoot's tail dropped.

"We may continue with our lesson." McGonagall drew her wand, and pointed it at Sirius. "An animagi's form is based on several characteristics, for instances since he has black hair his coat took on that color. Now why would Professor Black's form be a dog?"

A series of shrugs and questioning looks rippled across the room.

"Mr. Potter, any ideas?" McGonagall sighed.

"He's loyal? And . . . er . . . protective of his friends?"

"And godchild," Ron added, grinning.

"Both correct Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley."

Harry and Ron grinned sheepishly as Padfoot wagged his tail again. Harry by now knew what every gesture the dog made meant, and gave him a crooked smile.

McGonagall turned to Sirius, "As for an Animagi's anatomy, the dog's size reflects Black's height, and its body weight is similar to Black's own. His eyes also remain the same dark color and look of his eyes when he is in both human and animal forms. Now if Professor Black would kindly roll over for us . . . What seems to be the matter Professor?"

Sirius was frantically shaking his head, his tail tucked firmly between his legs.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of," the older professor said, with a soft smile.

If dogs could blush Sirius would have been scarlet by now.

"Now come along Professor, I'll conjure a towel if that will help an . . . yes Professor?"

Harry's head turned toward the doorway and gulped when he saw who it was.

"Professor Snape?" McGonagall repeated.

Snape strode in, solemn faced. "There has been a development," he said, just barely audible.

Harry leaned forward a bit to hear them better.

"After class Severus," said McGonagall shortly.

Snape shook his head, "Dismiss them now then."

McGonagall traded a series of looks with Snape before addressing the class. "We will continue this lesson tomorrow, dismissed."

There was a scrapping of desks and a rustling of book bags as they were slung on their owners' backs. The Gryffindors paraded out of the room in their own sort of organized chaos. Harry looked back to watch Padfoot transform back into Sirius.

Sirius turned and locked eyes with his godson, giving him a look that plainly said, "Go, this does not concern you."

Nodding, Harry left.

Halfway down the corridor he found Ron and Hermione waiting for him. "What's next?" he asked, his mind still back in the Transfiguration room.

"Break," Ron said as Thor barked at Harry.

It was then that Harry realized his own furry headache was not with him. "Bugger," he swore under his breath. "Go on without me, I have to go find Apollo."

"We'll come with you," Hermione said briskly.

"Okay," Harry agreed, and they headed back to the classroom. "He must be inside," whispered Harry, noticing that the door was left ajar. "Wait for me."

With that he slipped back into the room. After years of living with the Dursleys Harry had learned the fine art of opening a door and entering a room soundlessly. He spotted Apollo lying contently under his desk.

Harry dropped silently to his knees and crawled over to the Pooka, but stopped when he realized that the Professors were speaking loudly enough to be overheard.

"Where?" asked McGonagall urgently.

"Just outside of Hogsmeade," hissed Snape.

"But it was two nights ago," Sirius said quickly, shaking his head.

Snape rolled his eyes, "Thank you for stating the obvious Black."

Sirius huffed.

"But as you hopefully know some of them can change at will."

"The damned ones," snarled Sirius.

"Yes," McGonagall injected. "And they ravage, but not infect."

"And if they do that than even a cure would not save them so why does . . ."

"It _still_ can Black, but it cannot stop them from living a cursed life."

"Unless?" Sirius prompted.

Snape sighed, "He's offering them a life of luxury, and some are already starting to believe him."

"The ones who are tired," McGonagall said softly, bowing her head.

"Then _why_," demanded Sirius, "does he want them?"

"They are powerful beings, and even if they are damned their strength does not leave them," Snape said matter-of-factly. "You should above all know that Black since you are . . . Potter!"

Harry jumped, tumbling backward, knocking into his desk, and sending it clattering to the floor. Thoroughly embarrassed, Harry scrambled to his feet and righted the desk, "Er, sorry! I was looking for my Pooka!"

"You okay?" Sirius asked concernedly.

"Yeah," Harry replied, rubbing the back of his head and glaring at Apollo.

The Pooka wagged its tail innocently as Harry heard, "Five points from Gryffindor."

~~~

"Bedtime Harry," Sirius said, closing an Elven text, and leaning back in his desk chair.

Harry yawned, handing Sirius the book he had been using and rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"What, no protests tonight?"

"Too tired," Harry said thickly, getting to his feet. "'Night Siri."

Harry's hand was on the door knob when Sirius spoke up again.

"Harry, wait a moment."

A shiver ran down Harry's spine. Although it had never been directed at him he knew that tone--from Muggle movies, television shows, and the like--he was going to get a parental lecture. His first ever.

"Yes?" Harry asked timidly as he came back into the room and sunk back into the armchair. He was a bit nervous although he didn't understand why

"You look like I'm sending you to the gallows," Sirius said wryly, kneeling down in front of him.

"Well this is one of those "you did something wrong talks" isn't it?" Harry countered though his voice was close to a whisper. He didn't look Sirius in the face just down at his hands.

"Well, yes, but it's not like I'm going to yell at you or anything like that," Sirius assured him. "Just a longwinded lecture."

"Oh joy." Harry said glumly. "Long winded as in Professor Binns long winded or as in Lupin long winded?" He asked as an after thought

"Long winded as in Sirius Black long winded," Sirius corrected, taking Harry's chin in his right hand and forcing him to look him in the eye.

"Okay. I've never heard a Sirius Black long winded speech before. I'll make comparison later." Harry wisecracked.

"We'll see," Sirius said before sighing. "We might as well get it over with then . . . you know what this it about I assume."

Harry sighed and tried to look down at his hands but Sirius's hand was still under his chin. "About when I was looking for Apollo this afternoon?" he said glumly.

"Right. You know that eavesdropping is wrong, right?"

"Yes. But I wasn't trying to eavesdrop honest. I was just looking for Apollo. I tried to be quiet because Snape would have sent me away." Harry answered before Sirius could reply. "Besides you would have done the same... The Marauders seemed to have broken more rules then I have...?" Harry trailed off afraid he had said too much.

Sirius ran a hand through his hair sheepishly. "Walked right into that one didn't I?"

Harry flinched for a split second when Sirius ran his hand through his hair afraid that it would come down on him. He couldn't help remembering if he talked back to Uncle Vernon he would have gotten a beating he would never have forgotten. He shook himself mentally and answered "Hook, line and sinker."

"Back on topic runtlet," smirked Sirius before adopting his no nonsense tone of voice again. "You know full well what the consequences are for eavesdropping."

Harry shook his head nervously. The Dursleys' forms of consequences were a solid rapt 'round the head and a nice night in the cupboard with no meals.

"Harry?" Sirius said quietly. "You're trembling."

Harry sat up straight as Sirius removed his hand. He _was_ shaking.

"Sorry," he murmured.

"Dursley," spat Sirius catching on. "Is this what they drilled into your skull?"

"More of a reflex. Burn the toast or the bacon and bam! In the cupboard for a week with only two bathroom breaks a day and solid ..."Harry drifted off, slapping a hand over his mouth. He never meant to go into all that. He wondered how Sirius could easily get him to spill his guts out, saying things that he wouldn't even tell Ron and Hermione.

Sirius was quiet a while, mulling over his thoughts. "These consequences are much, much fairer," he said finally.

"They are?"

"Yes, now do you have _any_ idea whatsoever about what we were speaking about?"

"No sir," Harry said truthfully. He had thought about it a great deal during dinner and Quidditch practice but he couldn't make sense of it.

He took Harry's chin gently in his hand again, forcing the boy to look his straight in the eye.

Harry squirmed uneasily. He hated this, those unnerving looks always gave him the feeling that Sirius could see into his very soul and suck out the information he needed. Almost like how Snape gave him the haunting feeling that he could read minds.

"Sirius, I'm telling the truth," he said trying to break the iron hold his godfather had on his eyes.

"I know," said Sirius leaning back on his heels, breaking the stare.

Harry blinked several times asking, "Then _why_ the staring contest?"

"That was the long winded-part."

"Pretty quiet for the long-winded part."

"It spoke volumes to you I assume."

"It did," Harry agreed. "It said to me never to get caught by you again if I don't want another stare down."

Sirius rolled his eyes, "You make me sound like some sort of animal staring down its prey."

"That's sort of how it felt really," Harry said sheepishly.

"Really?" was all Sirius said before there was a soft pop!, and Harry found himself nose-to-nose with a black, wet nose.

"Sirius!" Harry cried, the momentary shock was enough to send him over the arm of the chair and to the floor. Although he was grinning when he looked up at the dog again, "Wish you wouldn't do that."

The dog wagged its tail once giving Harry a look that plainly said: Is this better, before giving him a brief stare down.

Harry laughed, scratching the top of Padfoot's head vigorously. "You're definitely one of a kind godfather-wise Snuffles."

Padfoot growled deeply at the mention of his former nom-de-plum before snapping back into human form. "Don't call me that."

Harry smirked cheekily, "How about godfather?"

"No thanks, I'm not the ringleader of the Italian mafia," Sirius said, fighting a smile.

"Er, is this the end of the lecture?" asked Harry timidly.

"Almost, do you promise not to do it again?"

"I promise to _ try_ not to do it again, but you know how trouble always seems to find me," Harry said innocently.

"Remind me to put an trouble detector on you," Sirius said dryly. "It'll bleep every time you come too close to danger."

"Yes sir," Harry murmured, bowing his head.

"Good. The lecture is over as far a I'm concerned now," Sirius's entire demeanor brightened once those words left his mouth.

Harry grinned. It felt as though the entire room which had felt dark, cold, and foreboding to him through most of the lecture (the part where Sirius transformed being the exception) had once again become bright, warm, and welcoming.

"Is this the part where you send me back to Gryffindor tower?" he asked.

"Right," said Sirius, tossing him the invisibility cloak, "G'night Harry."

"'Night Sirius," Harry replied as he pulled the hood of the cloak over his head and seemingly disappeared.

He walked silently as possible through the corridors—a skill that he had acquired from his many late night escapades—being wary of Filch and Mrs. Norris.

The halls were eerily quiet that night. There wasn't a soul out and about, not even Peeves. It was unnerving. He walked a little faster, not caring whether he made noise or not.

"Out for a late night stroll?"

Harry froze.

"What do you mean by that?" said a voice that Harry recognized as Lupin's.

"You've heard by now I'm sure," said the first. It was very low and very bitter.

"Yes I have Davey," replied Lupin.

Gudgeon, Harry thought bringing the cloak tighter around him.

"What do you have to say then?"

Harry, quite curious by now, crept forward a little to better see the professors. Lupin was a mixture of calmness but there was an intense fire in his eyes. Gudgeon on the other hand looked as bitter as if he had just eaten sour honey, but his eyes held the intense fire as did Lupin's.

"I still do not understand," said Lupin solemnly.

"Did you know him?" said Gudgeon sharply.

"How do you know it was a him?"

"Then you did."

"And if I did?"

Gudgeon sneered, "Than you should have stopped him."

"Crocs and I do not get along," stated Lupin. "He is a lone, I have no control over him."

Gudgeon rolled his eyes. "Do think I'm going to believe that, _Moony_?"

Lupin recoiled as Gudgeon moved forward, "I should hope you would, Davey."

"Don't call me that," spat Gudgeon.

"It's childish to hold grudges this long, Davey," challenged Lupin. His voice took on a wolfish list. "You never had to take the dare." His eyes flicked up to the scar above Gudgeon's eye.

Fury flashed across Gudgeon's face as his hand went to his robe and revealed something that Harry couldn't see, but it caused Lupin to tremble. "Perhaps you should warn your four-legged friend that this is what will happen to him if I ever meet him."

Lupin and Gudgeon locked eyes. Intense hate mixed with deep respect met in such a way that caused Harry to expect a roaring fire to spark in mid- air.

"A beast is only beast," growled Gudgeon.

"That is true but I am not one," hissed Lupin. "I am a wolf."

Harry, suddenly realizing how hard his heart was beating, took a step back. His foot caught on his cloak and he tumbled backwards.

Lupin and Gudgeon looked around wildly for the source of the sound as Harry held his breath.

"Must have been a ghost," Lupin said knowingly. Harry took that moment to get to his feet.

"Perhaps," said Gudgeon grudgingly.

Harry walked carefully past them, their words echoing in his head. "A beast is only beast," growled Gudgeon.

"That is true but I am not one," hissed Lupin. "I am a wolf."

Harry shook his head as he walked on, noticing where he was going. His mind was all ready at work sorting at the conversation until something caught his eye.

He stepped back to that a second look. It was a pair of yellow eyes shining out into the darkness like two search lights. They sent a chill down his spine. But he could not make out who they belonged to.

"Lumos," he whispered lighting his wand and holding it out. The hood of his cloak fell back as he so.

The wand tip illuminated the wiry, black body of a giant, foaming wolf that stood over . . .

The body of a young, blonde hair woman who was surrounded by a pool of murky, black water.

Harry locked eyes with the wolf.

It sprang forward, eyes blazing, teeth poised for Harry's neck.